Tomorrow, When The War Began | Chapter 12 Questions

1. “They say teenagers can sleep all day”. Is this true? Do you agree? Does Ellie still see herself as a typical teenager?

NO. There are two different types of teenagers with sleeping, you either sleep eight hours a night or even more, or eight hours a week. There is barely an in-between. But besides that, if Ellie can still say she's a 'normal' teenager, then I'm a dog. She has seen more blood and war than any other Australian teenager, that is not normal.

2. Ellie’s dream at the beginning of the chapter is rather nonsensical, as dreams are known to be. Is there any meaning to it? Try and explain what Ellie’s subconscious could be thinking about: why is her dad cooking for the whole town? Why did Father Cronin ignore Ellie’s greeting? Why was Corrie 8 years old again? Why were they sailing off on a boat? Why was Lee undressing?

I have no insight into any dreams, nor what they mean. I believe what she is attempting to dream about is a happier time for her family, where her father is free and cooking a barbeque for the family, where they believed in a different fantasy to the safety they believed in. The boat represented how they moved onto the war and a different life. I have no idea about Lee stripping though.

3. Why is it so terrible that Chris falls asleep while on sentry duty? How does Ellie react? Why do you think she reacts this way? How does she feel about her reaction later?

The soldiers would have invaded their base without them knowing, they could have been killed. Ellie understands this and this is why she is so mad at Chris, I think this is caused by the build-up of emotions within her mind and how she thinks that he has just put everyone in danger of dying. She knows her reaction is bad later on, but she doesn't feel much remorse for her reaction.

4. Back in Hell, Ellie’s dreams are far more ominous. Explain why Ellie is dreaming of her fears.

She is afraid. There is no other explanation. She is afraid the soldiers that have her family and her people are going to come and take even more away from her.